News

I'm recovering from a wonderful writers' festival that was held at Chautauqua this past weekend. My workshop leader was the energetic and enthusiastic Dorianne Laux, whose work I have admired for well over a decade. Since she is living on the West Coast, I never thought I would get a chance to meet her, so when I heard that she would be one of the poets at the annual Chautauqua Writers' Festival, I jumped at the chance to work with her. The energy I received from this weekend is pushing me back towards writing again, especially towards poetry, which has taken a back burner to my teaching and my prose writing.

I also received the newest issue of Chautauqua with the thematic subject of Americana. Three of my poems, including a personal favorite "Why the Rain Gutters Rattled" appear in this issue, and I was thrilled to be included along some great writers (and friends) including Todd Davis, Gabriel Welsch, Clara Silverstein, and Lori Jakiela. I have admired the Chautauqua literary journal for years, and love the beautiful editions, so I am proud and excited to be included in its library of volumes.

So, now that I have made a promise to myself to devote the summer to writing (I'm not teaching at all this summer, which is the first time that has happened in years), I want to make good on that promise and finish up some projects that have been sitting around my computer. I need to, as Dorianne Laux told us at the festival, make time for my art.

Author

I am a poet and professor from rural Pennsylvania. This page is dedicated to my publishing news and events; for book reviews published online go to the Reviews tab above. For my own personal reviews, explore the Book Picks tab.